Suction tip



Gd. 4, 1938.. H. B. ALLEN SUCTION TIP Filed Jan. 6, 1937 4s 7 Hall BedzrdA ZZen BY 0% gram? H 15 ATTORNEYS Patented one 4, 1938 2,132,283

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHQE SUCTION TIP 7 Harry Bedford Allen, Highland Park, Mich.

Application January 6, 1937, Serial No. 119,356

'2' Claims. (01. 294-64) My invention relates to printing presses, and opposite end of the body ill terminates in a hollow includes among its objects and advantages the head 22 having a threaded exterior 26 on which provision of an improved suction tip embodying the tip is mounted. The construction so far deimprovements over the suction tip illustrated in scribed is old and well known in the art.

' my co-pending application, Serial No. 103,441, My invention resides in the metallic tip 25 5 filed September 30, 1936. which includes a threaded bore v28 having thread- In the above-identified co-pending application ed relation with the head 24. I provide the tip the suction tip comprises metal designed .to suc- 26 with a smaller bore 39 which leaves a shoulcessfully handle approximately ninety-five per der 32 on which a resilient'gasket 34 is positioned.

cent of the paper passing through the printing This gasket includes an opening 35 and a tubular 10 press. In cases h f latively heavy and irextension 3B which extendsinto the bore All in regularly shaped orexceptionally rough surface the head 22. heavy paper is being handled, it is necessary to The lower end of the tip 25 is slightly concave employ a flexible tip. Under, such conditions it at 42 and is provided with an opening id which is necessary to remove the metallic suction tip establishes communication with the suction tube 15 nd bstit t a, ti of 9, flexible nature, 26 so that the suction may be effective for lifting An object of my invention is to provide a meone sheet at a time off the supply 46 when the tip tallic suction tip embodying an auxiliary flexible is b o t 111130 Operating p ty with the tip which is carried by the metallic tip but so upp Sheet e concavity 42 tes trelated thereto as to permit the flexible tip to be 1y short of the outer diameter of the tip 26 so adjusted to an inoperative position on the metallic s p de a Slight fla 3. I ave attained tip, thereby eliminating the necessity of removing o d su W th a me al ic t p of seven-eighths the metallic tip. inch in outside diameter. Fig. 2 illustrates the A further object is to provide a metallic sucp Slightly e d t e Sake of clearness.

tion tip which serves as a mounting for the flex- In operation, the metallic tip is capable of 25 ible tip and in which means is employed for adhandling all types of papers up to four ply grade. justing the flexible tip to compensate wear. The tip is capable of resisting wear indefinitely In the accompanying drawing: and eliminates the necessity of frequent substi- Fig, 1 is an elevational view of a conventional tutions of new tips. Because of the concavity 12,

tip suporting body illustrating my invention apan effective suction action is attained on. the 30 plied thereto; paper. I have found that the suction area is F g. 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 substantially coextensive with the area of the of Fi 1; concavity, while the slight degree of concavity Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the structure provides a backing for thin paper which preillustrated in Fig. 1; vents such paper from being sucked into the tip, 35

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of the metallic tip and distorted, or otherwise damaged. In feeding relthe flexible tip attached thereto with the tip in atively thin paper, the area of the opening 44 its operating position; is sufficient for holding purposes, but in feeding Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the stiffer paper, the suction area is effective flexible tip adjusted to an inoperative position; throughout the area of the concavity 4'2. 40 and The structure so far described is substantially Fi 6 i a iona v w f a ip m odyin identical with that disclosed in the above-identicompensation for wear of the flexible part. fled co-pending application. To facilitate han- In the embodiment selected to illustrate my dling of relatively heavy material I provide the 45 invention, I make use of a conventional tip body tip 26 with a flexible tip which may comprise Ill such as is employed on Kluge feeders and rubber. The tip 50 is tubular and includes a Kluge automatic platen printing presses. This bead 52 arranged to lie within a groove 54 formed body is in the nature of a tube having lateral in the outer surface of the tip 26. Fig. 4 illusextensions l2 between which the actuating bar trates the tip 5!! as projecting slightly beyond the 50 H5 is positioned and retained therein by a spring lower end of the metallic tip 26 with the tip so 50 pressure plate l6 mounted to the extensions by closely embracing the slightly tapered outer surscrews I8. face 56 of the tip 26. With the tip 50 adjusted One end of the body I0 is detachably connected according to Fig. 4 an effective air seal is atwith a suction hose 20 which may be connected tained when operating on heavy material, as in- 55 with a vacuum pump or equivalent device. The dicated in Fig. 2. As the tip 26 is pressed against 55 the upper sheet of the supply 46, the tip tends to bend outwardly, which flexing of the tip establishes pressure relation between the tip and the sheet being lifted so as to establish an effective seal for lifting purposes. Because of the suction effective on the sheet being lifted, the sheet is held in contact with the metallic tip. Because of such contact, further distortion of the flexible tip is prevented so that the metallic tip cooperates with the flexible tip for load carrying purposes.

Since the sheet being carried by the tip structure is maintained in pressure relation with the part 26, the flexible tip 50 serves largely as an air sealing adjunct. Such pressure relation between the sheet and the metallic tip lends an element of sturdiness to the flexible tip to a degree which prevents flexing of the tip during the pick up, carrying and placement action of the tip structure so that precise positioning of the sheet is attained. Under all conditions of service the metallic tip cooperates with the flexible tip in such a manner as to balance its flexible character after holding relation has been established between the tip structure and the sheet being handled.

In handling material which does not require a flexible tip, the tip 50 is pulled back upon the metallic tip 26 to the position of Fig. 5. In this position, the greater part of the flexible tip 50 embraces the knurled area 58 on the metallic tip 26. The knurled surface provides an effective grip for connecting and disconnecting the metallic tip. The bead 52 not only reinforces the end of the flexible tip 50 but facilitates reversal of the tip. In reversing the tip its end 60 is folded back upon the tip and. the end pulled upwardly to the position of Fig. 5. When so positioned, the metallic tip 26 operates completely independently of the flexible tip.

In Fig. 6, I illustrate a metallic tip 62 identical in every respect with the tip 26 with the exception that two grooves 54 are provided. After the flexible tip has become worn, the tip may be lowered to position the bead 52 within the lower recess 54 and the worn end of the tip cut off.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. The combination with a metallic suction tip having a depressed sheet engaging surface, of a tubular resilient element embracing the metallic suction tip and having one end projecting beyond the depressed face, said metallic suction tip being provided with a groove, and a bead carried by the resilient tubular element and lying within said groove, to constitute a pivotal connection between the tube and the tip, said tube being movable to an inoperative position with respect to the depressed face.

2. A suction tip comprising a rigid body having a sheet engaging face, a resilient tubular element embracing said rigid body and having one end projecting beyond the sheet engaging face, said body being provided with a plurality of grooves and a bead carried by the tubular element and normally lying within one of said grooves, said tubular element being shiftable on the body for positioning the bead in the other of said grooves, to compensate wear.

HARRY BEDFORD ALLEN. 

